How much does an Armenian residence permit cost, and how long does it take?

Checked on 2026-10-25

Key facts

What you pay

The Foreign Ministry’s page lists the state duty for each residence document and says the amounts are based on the Law “On State Duty” (arts. 8 and 14). A temporary card costs AMD 105,000, and so does each extension. A permanent card costs AMD 140,000. US citizens pay lower amounts under a reciprocity rule.

The Migration and Citizenship Service says temporary status is free for some people: minors (under 18); close relatives of an Armenian citizen (spouse, child, father, mother, sister, brother); foreign students, teaching staff and lecturers at Armenian educational institutions; people providing humanitarian or technical assistance; and a few other groups listed on its page.

You can pay on site by card terminal, online, or at any bank by transfer to treasury account 900005162111100, the service says. Bring the payment receipt: it is on the list of required documents.

How long it takes

The service’s guidance says the residence card is issued within 30 days after you apply. Under the Law “On Fundamentals of Administrative Action and Administrative Proceedings” it may extend that by another 30 days. A decision to extend the proceedings, or to refuse, is sent to you by post. You collect the card at the Unified Office for Public Services, 3 Vazgen Sargsyan Street, Yerevan.

What changes on 1 November 2026

Law HO-11-N rewrites the procedure from 1 November 2026. The law keeps a 30-day deadline from the day you apply, and adds that the decision also takes into account the government’s quota of residence statuses for the year. If your visa or other legal stay runs out while your application is pending, the law says your stay counts as lawful until the decision. Applications filed before 1 November 2026 are decided under the old rules (art. 30.4).

Related questions

• When to apply for an extension: the Foreign Ministry says at least 30 days before the temporary or permanent card expires.
• How long each card lasts: temporary up to one year, permanent five years, special passport ten years (MFA, “Types of Armenian Residency”).

This is general information, not legal advice, and Lumen is not a law firm. Rules change and offices differ: check the official sources above before you act. Found something wrong or out of date? Write to support@lumen.observer.